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An election poster of Benyamin Netanyahu, Israeli Prime Minister, September 9, 2019 in Ashdod. REUTERS / Amir Cohen

Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu faces competition from a Blue-White centrist formation led by former Chief of Staff Benny Gantz. This face-to-face leaves very little political space to a weakened and divided Israeli left.

With our special envoy to Jerusalem, Nicolas Falez

Israel is preparing to vote for the second time this year since the April legislative elections did not lead to the formation of a coalition government. Laura Wharton is the only member of the left-wing Meretz party in the Jerusalem City Council.

She is also a candidate for legislative elections on the list of the Democratic Union, which federates several formations, including hers. She recognizes it, "left" has become a difficult label to wear in Israel.

" Ten years of power from Benyamin Netanyahu have led to the de-legitimization of everything on the left and even the center," explains the young woman. Everything related to human rights or social justice is seen as illegitimate, as an error, as a lie and even as a treachery. "

A minority left and divided

In its program, the Democratic Union speaks of the fight against poverty, education, secularism and the search for a peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians. " A democratic country can not continue to control the existence of 2.5 million people who do not have citizenship and no civil rights, " says Laura Wharton.

This Israeli left become very minority is also divided. the Democratic Union is in competition with the Labor Party, which presents a social program but is not at risk anymore on the sensitive question of the occupation of the Palestinian territories.